Amusement device



*- Sept. 15. 1925. 1 1,554,165

w. o. McELROY ET AL AMUSEMENT DEVICE Filed Feb. 5, 1924 4 Sheets-Sheet 1 William aM- EZrvy {Toss 7h F. Trqpw 5 myw Sept. 15, 1925. 1,554,165 w; o. MCELROY ET AL AMUSEMENT DEVI CE Filed Feb. 8, 1924 4 Sheets-Sheet 2 z\ \Vg\ t E I gwlwntou Joseph F. T rape'a/ Sept. 15, 1925.

W. O. M ELROYET AL AMUSEMENT DEVICE 4 Sheets-Sheet, 3

I William UMQEZTO Jose oh Tropeca Filed Feb. 8, 192

ATTORNEY Sept. 15, 1925.

, W. O. M ELROY ET AL AMUSEMENT DEVICE ATTORN Filed Feb. 8, 1924 Sheets-Sheet 4 O..M.CEZ7OJ Joseph T ropea/ Patented Sept. 15, 1925.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

WILLIAM 0. MGELROY AND JOSEPH F. TRDPEA, OI 'RIVEREDG'E, NEW JERSEY.

AMUSEMENT DEVICE.

Application filed February 8, 1924. Serial- No. 691,482.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that we, lVILLIAM 0. Mo- ELRoY and Josnrrr F. TROPEA, citizens of the United States, residing at Riveredge, in the county of Bergen and State of New Jersey, have invented new and useful Improvements in Amusement Devices, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to amusement devices or games and has for an object the provision of a device which in addition to providing amusement, is attractive and instructive and maybe used for playing many different games.

lVith the above and other objects in view, the invention further includes the follo"- ing novel features and details of construction, to be hereinafter more fully described,

illustrated in' the accompanying drawings and pointed out in the appended claims.

In the drawings Figure 1 is an elevation of an amusement device constructed in accordance with the invention.

Figure 2 is a top plan view of the same.

Figure 3 is a longitudinal vertical sectional view.

Figure 4 is a vertical transverse sectional view on the line 4-4: of Figure 3.

Figure 5 is a horizontal section.

Figure 6 is a detail elevation showing the clutch in released position.

Figures 7 and -'8 are detail views.

Referring to the drawings in detail wherein like characters of reference denote corresponding parts, the device as shown comprises a box-like housing whichincludes sides and ends 10 and 11 respectively, a

bottom 12 andga top or platform The casing may be made of any suitable size.

and material and is preferably of knockdown construction, the parts being removably secured together by fastening devices 1 1.

The platform 13 is provided with an annular slot 15, the central portion 16 of the platform being supported by a standard 17 which rises from the bottom 12. portion of the platform has its inner edge braced by suitable brackets 18 which extend from *the sides 10 and ends 11 of the casing.

Mounted within bearings 19 which rise from the bottom 12 of the casing is a sectional shaft 20. Thead-jacent ends of :this

V shaft are adapted to be connected by a nor- The outer mally engaged spring actuated friction clutch 21. The shaft 20 is driven by any suitable means, such .as a motor 22, the :ter being operatively connected with the shaft by means of gears :23. The inner end ofthe shaft 20 carries a pinion 24 which engages anddrives a ring gear 25. This gear 25 is rotatable about the standard 17, suitable anti-friction bearings being provided for this-purpose.

Secured to the ring gear 25 is an arm which extends upwardly and outwardly through the slot 15 of the platform and whichfh as secured thereon a toy automobile closed door 29. Located within this house is a horizontally rotatable floor or bottom 30 which is supported upon :the upper end of a vertically disposeds'haft .31. The shaft 31 extends downward throughthe platform and is'supported in upper and lower bearings 32,, the bearings being in turn supported by arms-or. brackets '33. o The shaft 31 is, operatively connected to the .shaft 20.;by gearing 3 1 so that when the last mentioned shaft is rotated rotation will be imparted to the vertical shaft '31 so that the bottomor door :30 will be likewise roitated. Located within the container or house :28 is .a inumber of inovableielements or balls .35 which contain suitable indicia This indioia may be in the form of numbers :or letters or both, the object being to automatically open the door 29 of the house when :the automobile reaches a proper po- .sition, whereupon rotation ofthe bottom :or floorl30 will causeoneof the balls 35 to pass through the door and through a chute 36 leading therefrom, into the automobile.

For this purpose the automobile is. auto amatically stopped ata proper ipoint adjacent the discharge end of the vchute 36-andfto accomplish this, the :shaft20 is provided with airelat-ively long worm section :37 This-section 37 is engaged by a split nut 38 whose sections are hingedly secured together as at 39. These nut sections are arranged to engage the worm 37 so that when the shaft 20 is rotated, the nut will travel along the shaft in a direction away from the clutch 21. Secured to each section of the nut 38 are links 40, while one member of the clutch has secured thereto links 41; The links 40 and, 41 are pivotally connected together so that as the nut travels away from the clutch 21, the links will straighten out and when the limit of this straightening action occurs, the clutch will be disengaged against the action of its spring so that one section of the shaft 20 will cease to rotate and travel of the automobile will stop.

Also extending from the movable member of the clutch 21 is an arm 42, while connected to this arm through the medium of a rod 43 is one end of a pivotally mounted lever 44. The opposite end of this lever engages the door 29, so that asthe clutch moves to a disengaged position, pivotal movement will be imparted to the lever 44 and the door 29 willbe opened against the action of its spring asufficient distance to permit of the passage of one of the balls 35.

From the foregoing description and accompanying drawings it will be seen that through the power of the motor 22, the shaft 20 will be operated to move the automobile over the platform as previously described the ratio of the pinion24 and gear 25 and the length of the worm 27 is such that the automobile will complete a number of circuits around the platform before coming to a standstill, that is before the clutch is released. Vhen this releasing action occurs, the lever 44 will be actuated to open the door 29 so that one of the balls will enter the automobile. In order to accurately time 'gaged from the worm.

the opening of the door with the stopping of the automobile, the links 41 are constructed so that their lengths may be regulated as indicated at 45.

After the ball has entered the automobile, the clutch may be re-engaged by means of a resetting lever 46. This lever is pivotally mounted upon the outside of the casting and has connected thereto one end of a rod 47. The opposite end of this rod is connected to a nut 38 and is provided with a member 39..

whereby, inward movement of the rod 47 'will move the sections of the nut 38 upon their pivot so that the nut will be disen- Further inward movement will cause the nut to move toward the clutch 21 until it reaches its initial or starting position. At this point the member 34 will be disengaged and the nut re-engaged with the worm.

In playing a game, the players may operate the device in turn and one orany predetermined number of turns may be determined upon for each player, the player whose numbered balls total the highest number of points winning the game. As constructed, the outcome of the game is entirely controlled by chance, so that each player has an equal opportunity to win.

It is preferred to construct the house or container 28 of some transparent material, so that movement of the balls upon the rotating bottom may be seen, the balls continuing to move both while the automobile is in motion and while it is idle.

The invention is susceptible of various changes in its form, proportions and minor details 'of construction and the right is herein reserved to make such changes as properly fall within the scope of the appended claims.

Having described the invention what is claimed is 1. In an amusement device, a horizontally movable member, means whereby the member may be moved including a power shaft, 7 a container located ad acent the path of nut operatively engaging the shaft to automatically stop the movable member adjacent the container, means for automatically releasing one of the-elements from the container and ejecting the same into the movable member when the latter is stopped and means whereby the parts may be returned to normal position.

2. In an amusement device, a horizontally movable member, a container located adjacent the path of movement of said member, means including an operating shaft whereby the member may be moved, a clutch for controlling the shaft, means controlled by the operation of the shaft for controlling the clutch, whereby the movable member will be automatically stopped adjacent the container, movable elements within the container and means for automatically releas ing one of the movable elements from the container and directing the same into the movable member.

3. In an amusement device, a horizontally movable member, a container located adjacent the path of movement of said member, means including an operating shaft whereby the member may be moved, a clutch for controlling the shaft, means controlled by the operation of the shaft for controlling the clutch, whereby the movable member will be automatically stopped adjacent the container, movable elements within the conmovable member, a container located adjacent the path of movement of said member, means including an operating shaft whereby the member may be moved, a clutch for controlling the shaft, means including a nut operatively engaging the shaft and connect ed with the clutch for automatically actuating the latter to stop the movable member adjacent the container, movable elements within the container and means for automatically releasing one of the movable elements from the container and directing the same into the movable member.

In an amusement device, a horizontally movable member, means whereby the member may be moved, a container located adjacent the path of movement of said member, a rotatable bottom for the container, means whereby the bottom maybe rotated, spherical elements within the container and means whereby the movable member will be automatically stopped adjacent the container and one of the spherical elements released from the latter and directed into the movable member.

6. In an amusement device, a horizontally movable member, means whereby the member may be moved, a container located adjacent the path of movement of said member and having an opening therein, a spring closed door for the opening, movable ele ments within the container, a rotatable bottom for the container, rhereby the elements may be moved for passage through the opening, means whereby the movable elements will be automatically stopped adjacent the container and means for automatically opening the door to permit of the passageof one of said elements into the movable member.

7. An amusement device comprising a housing, a member movable over the housing and adapted to travel in a circular path, means whereby the member may be moved, a container supported above the housing adjacent the'path of movement of the movable member, a plurality of movable elements within the container and means located Within the housing for automatically releasing said elements singly and at intervals for deposit within the movable member when the latter reaches a position adjacent the container.

8. An amusement device comprising a housing, a member movable over the housing, means whereby the member may be moved, a container supported above the housing adjacent the path of movement of the movable member, a plurality of movable elements within the container, means located within the housing for automatically releasing said elements singly and at intervals for deposit within the movable member when the latter reaches aposition adjacent the container and means whereby the length of intervals between the release of the movable elements may be regulated.

In testimony whereoi we have afhxed our signatures.

W'ILLIAM O. M' ELROY. JQSEPH F. TROPEA. 

